Paying Homage to the Past

Have you ever noticed how Chinese ancestral portraits seem to grace many stylish interiors? Once I spotted them in one interior, it seemed that I started to see them everywhere. Of course, the paintings found in the interiors below were used strictly for decorative purposes, and I can certainly see why. There is something very dignified and regal about these portraits, and they also seem to add a little touch of Eastern exoticism to their surroundings. But what we shouldn't forget is that the purpose of these paintings was anything but decorative.

Ancestral portraits were long an important part of a Chinese culture which revered and worshipped family ancestry. From what I've read, it seems that these paintings were commissioned by family members not just out of respect for their forebears, but also out of fear. A disgruntled ancestor might be tempted to become a ghost and make life difficult for the living. In order to prevent this from happening, and to elicit good will and fortune, the portraits were worshipped by family members either in their homes or at family temples. Ceremonies, which at times included offerings to the ancestors as well as kowtowing, were often performed before these portraits.

So with this in mind, here are a few of the interiors that I have found which display these ancestral portraits. In a way, it seems that even today these portraits still command respect and awe, much as they did centuries ago.

(If any of you are experts on Asian art and wish to add to this, please do so by commenting- I would love to learn more about these portraits.)



Frances Elkins used them in a few of her projects, including one of her most famous: the library of Mr. and Mrs. Kersey Coates Reed. I think the portrait looks smashing against the Hermes goatskin paneled wall.


Jean-Michel Frank tried his hand at stage design in this set from "Les Fleurs des pois". The Chinese portrait rather dominates the set.


Yves Saint Laurent was obviously a fan.


Here are a pair of Chinese ancestral portraits in a contemporary setting- the living room of Liz and Steve Weinstein, decorated by Miles Redd (photo from Elle Decor; photographer Simon Upton)

Image at top: A pair of ancestor portraits, c. 1700-1800. From the collection of the Victoria and Albert

A New Look at Jean-Michel Frank

Known for his spare interiors as well as his use of humble, natural materials, Jean-Michel Frank is one of those designers who is often credited by contemporary designers as being a major influence, yet he has remained a bit of an enigma. Perhaps this was due to his all-too brief career and life, having committed suicide in 1941. Or maybe it was because some critics labeled Frank a society decorator. Whatever the reason, critical study of Frank's career did not begin in earnest until the 1980s with a monograph written by Leopold Diego Sanchez. Unfortunately, this book is a bit scarce as well as cost-prohibitive. There is, however, a new work on the design legend that is not only quite comprehensive and informative but will probably prove to be yet another authoritative work on Frank.

Jean-Michel Frank: The Strange and Subtle Luxury of the Parisian Haute-Monde in the Art Deco Period (Rizzoli) initially took shape as the doctoral thesis of Pierre-Emmanuel Martin-Vivier, a historian and authority on twentieth-century applied arts. The book provides the reader with a biographical account of both Frank's life as well as an in-depth look at his career as a designer of both spaces and furniture. While Frank's success was certainly guided by his talent, it was also nudged along by Frank's fortuitous friendships with the French and European beau monde, something which is explored in the book.

But Frank certainly developed a style that was all his own, and this is really the heart of this book. Much attention is given to Frank interiors, including his work for Jean-Pierre Guerlain, Andre Meyer, Templeton Crocker, Cole Porter, and of course Charles and Marie-Laure de Noailles. Today, Frank seems to be recognized more for his furniture designs than his interiors, so the text and photographic record of Frank's tables, lamps, and chairs are a major asset of Jean-Michel Frank. Also, Frank's career was characterized by collaborations with other gifted designers and artists, most notably Adolphe Chanaux, Alberto Giacometti, Christian Berard, and Emilio Terry, and this work is given due diligence in the book.

I'll admit that I have not yet finished this book; I'm taking my time reading the text, and I find myself getting lost in the gorgeous black and white photos chronicling Frank's work. But so far, I do feel that I better understand the genius and the style of this sad artist, and for this alone I highly recommend this book.



The Sitting Room in the penthouse of Templeton Crocker, San Francisco, 1929. The walls and ceiling were covered in squares of parchment, while the armchairs were upholstered in white leather. One of the Parsons-style cocktail tables was covered in brown shagreen, while the other was sheathed in patina bronze.


The Music Room in Cole Porter's Paris apartment. Although Armand-Albert Rateau was responsible for the paneling (silver lacquer at that), Frank designed the furniture.


Image at top: A Fire Screen covered in straw marquetry, c. 1924. The cabinet at bottom was covered in parchment, c. 1931.


A set of parchment nesting tables and an X lamp made from terra cotta.

The Soane Mystique

History has produced but a small coterie of architects and designers whose work continues to inspire us today. One person who figures prominently in this pantheon is Sir John Soane, the visionary British architect. Well versed in the Neoclassical style, Soane designed both private manor houses as well as public buildings (most notably the Bank of England). However, it is Soane's home at 12-14 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London (now known as Sir John Soane's Museum), that has inspired legions of fans through the years. Built in the late 18th c. and added on to during the early 19th c., the home is a sterling example of Soane's refined aesthetic and his no nonsense practicality.

There are a few rooms in particular that seem to enthrall visitors. The Breakfast Room is a marvel in design. In order to maximize the light in an otherwise dark space, Soane topped the room with a domed ceiling and oculus. He then added small convex mirrors throughout the room- in the archways, around the fireplace surround- to help reflect the light. It is highly effective and pleasing to the eye too.

The Library, characterized by segmented arches and Gothic accents, is noted for its rich Pompeiian red walls and bronze green trim. Trust me, the combination of these two rich colors is extremely handsome- you really have to see it in person to appreciate the complexity of the colors.

And I can't forget to mention Soane's collection of antiquities and architectural ruins, displayed en masse throughout the home: in the Dome Area; the Colonnade; the Sepulchral Chamber. It's staggering to think that one man is responsible for such an important collection!

So, how do modern day designers channel the spirit of Soane? Well, let me show you. And I'll add that I think Sir John Soane would be quite proud of their efforts.


An arch in the red and green Library of Sir John Soane


An homage to the Soane style, on a small scale, in a library designed by Josef Johns.


The home of Stephen Calloway. Note the rich red walls, the green trim, and trompe l'oeil painted arches.


Soane's Breakfast Room. Note the convex mirrors inset into the arches and the ceiling.


A detail shot of the ceiling of the Breakfast Room.



David Mlinaric designed this Soane-esque dining room/library in the home of Lord Rendlesham. Look at the marvelous ceiling.



A tribute to Soane's impressive collection in the flat of Peter Hone. Some of the antiquities and fragments are real, while others are faux (the columns on the walls are actually engravings that have been glued to the wall)


Another view of the Hone flat.

Regency Redux

"What is Hollywood Regency?" I can't tell you how many times I've been asked this question. And to be quite truthful, I'm able to give a vague description of this style, but an informed, detailed answer? No.

That is why I am very excited about the October 2008 release of Regency Redux written by design historian and writer Emily Eerdmans. The book not only describes the aesthetic of the Regency period in England (defined by a "penchant for clean lines and restrained ornament, directly inspired by ancient Greek and Roman architecture, combined with the swagger of the French Empire style"*), but it also explores the various modern interpretations of this style. Of course, I think it would be safe to say that Hollywood Regency is one of the most well-known variations of the Regency look. But the Regency period inspired many other designers outside of Hollywood, including Dorothy Draper, Syrie Maugham, Oliver Messel, Sybil Colefax, and others.

The Regency style continues to influence today's designers, namely Miles Redd, Geoffrey Bradfield, Jacques Grange, and most famously Kelly Wearstler (who has written the book's forward). Their work is featured in "Regency Redux" as well. With lavish photographs and informative text, this book will finally answer the question that has stumped many of us!

(* quotation taken from the book's website- Regency Redux)


This room is stunning! Painted by none other than Rex Whistler, the Painted Room was located in Port Lympne, the home of Sir Philip Sassoon.


Top right: a view of Eltham Palace, built by Stephen and Virginia Courtauld in 1936. Bottom left: A still from the 1936 film Wife vs. Secretary- a great example of Hollywood Regency. Bottom right: A photograph by the late Hoyningen-Huene.


A dressing room with a daybed by Emile-Jacques Ruhlmann and Classical modern lamps by Jean-Michel Frank.

Image at top: Cover of "Regency Redux" with an image of The Greenbrier, decorated by Dorothy Draper